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Exit Interviews: Michael Beasley

Oh, Michael, the good times we had...

Mr. Beazzz,

Upon your arrival in Minneapolis just two years ago, I couldn’t be more precise in saying how excited I, no, everyone was for you to grace our presence. A second overall pick practically given to us from the basketball gods seemed like just the thing to turn our misfortune and dismay around that the post KG era left us drowning in. Right off the bat you seemed to gel seamlessly into Rambis’ star-less offense and took on the bulk of the scoring. Alongside Kevin Love, you two seemed to unite a formidable duo that would ravage the West’s best for years to come. Love would throw two-handed, full court alley-oops to you as you ripped them through the net with such force and vengeance. Your defense was as impenetrable as the Great Wall of China. You finally turned into the superstar the NBA thought you’d become, lifting yourself to all-new heights, far above and beyond anything your childhood friend Kevin Durant has been able to accomplish in that two year span.

(Yawwwwwwwwwn…..) Was I just dreaming?

I apologize if the blurb above offended you in any way but it’s what we all expected from you, Michael. The pressures and expectations of the NBA officially proved to be too much to handle, while you tried to do your best to shape up your attitude and mature a little bit. And while we did see some great strides in your maturity in the last two years, I’m just not so sure that you’re the right person for this team right now.

The biggest reason for us letting you go has nothing to do with your performance over the last two years. We understand the player that you are and the things you can do on the court. Your offense is your blood, your baby, and it’s becoming more versatile as your grow. You are a serious threat to beat your man off the dribble and take it to the hoop for that patented floating jumper. But where you grew as an offensive juggernaut is the improvement on your deep 2’s and 3’s. From last year to this season, your three-point shooting definitely improved, and so did your shot selection on the perimeter.

You might not understand because your stats don’t agree but you really did make vast improvements this season. And you may also not understand why coach Adelman put you in the sixth man spot but it was what was best for the team. Honestly, having your scoring prowess to call on from the bench was a blessing in disguise while you were healthy. This very well could be your role in the NBA from here on out, so be ready to be placed into that spot on another team in the near future.

But, unfortunately, your role on this team is no more. We truly appreciate everything you’ve given us these past two years, but your price tag is too steep for what you actually offer this current roster and coach Adelman. It’s just not going to work out. So we bid you adieu and good luck finding a new home.